SOLDIERS.
Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.—II. Timothy, ii. 3, 4.
Thy life’s a warfare, thou a soldier art,
Satan’s thy foeman, and a faithful heart
Thy two-edged weapon, patience is thy shield,
Heaven is thy chieftain, and the world thy field.
To be afraid to die, or wish for death,
Are words and passions of despairing breath:
Who doth the first, the day doth faintly yield;
And who the second, basely flies the field.
Francis Quarles.
Soldiers of Christ, arise,
And put your armour on,
Strong in the strength which God supplies,
Through His eternal Son;
Strong in the Lord of Hosts,
And in His mighty power,
Who in the strength of Jesus trusts,
Is more than conqueror.
Stand then in His great might,
With all His strength endued;
But take, to arm you for the fight,
The Panoply of God:
That having all things done,
And all your conflicts pass’d,
Ye may o’ercome though Christ alone,
And stand entire at last.
Wesley.
Soldier rise! the war is done;
Lo! the hosts of hell are flying:
’Twas the Lord thy battle won;
Jesus vanquished them by dying.
Pass the stream—before thee lies
All the conquered land of glory.
Hark!—what songs of rapture rise!
These proclaim the victor’s story.
Soldier, lay thy weapons down,
Quit the sword, and take the crown.
Triumph! all thy foes are banished,
Death is slain, and earth has vanished.
Phelan.